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Journal of Experimental Biology 60,769-781 (1974)
Published by Company of Biologists 1974

Net Fluxes of Water in the Isolated Gills of Anguilla Dieffenbachii

T. J. SHUTTLEWORTH 1 and R. F. H. FREEMAN 2

1 Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lancaster, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, U.K.
2 Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

1. Measurements of net flux of water have been made on isolated gills removed from freshwater-adapted and seawater-adapted eels and incubated in various media of differing osmotic pressure.

2. From these measurements it has been possible to determine the osmotic permeability coefficient of the gill directly from the net water flux. The values obtained (0.50±0.14x10-5 cm.sec-1 for freshwater eels and 0.43±0.07x10-5 cm.sec-1 for seawater-adapted eels) indicate that there was no significant change in this parameter on adaptation of the eels to sea water.

3. The direct measurements made of the net water flux across the isolated gills appear to be compatible with the osmoregulatory pattern of eels as deduced by other workers using different techniques. In particular they illustrate and further emphasize the significance of drinking in the freshwater fish.

4. Calculations indicate that, for a freshwater teleost, the osmotic and ionic problems caused by drinking in fresh water have an insignificant energetic effect and hence, energetically, it matters little to the fish whether it drinks or not.

Submitted on October 3, 1973






© The Company of Biologists Ltd 1974